Resources for Mindfulness and Addiction Recovery
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Dr. Peltz has published several articles on the ExpertBeacon website, here are excerpts from two and then links to the full articles:
"Nicotine is the most addictive drug along the dimension of “continues to use despite knowledge of adverse health consequences.” It is legal, cheap (at least in the short run), and works very quickly - within 8 to 10 seconds. By hijacking the brain’s reward system and seeming to master craving and difficult emotional and energetic states, nicotine is able to foster a powerful dependence. Psychologically what maintains that dependence is some combination of parts of the personality that are pleasure seeking, self-medicating, self-punishing and rebellious. Yes, there is a part that wants to be healthy and well, but until the situation becomes dire, it is often no contest.icotine is the most addictive drug along the dimension of “continues to use despite knowledge of adverse health consequences.” It is legal, cheap (at least in the short run), and works very quickly - within 8 to 10 seconds. By hijacking the brain’s reward system and seeming to master craving and difficult emotional and energetic states, nicotine is able to foster a powerful dependence. Psychologically what maintains that dependence is some combination of parts of the personality that are pleasure seeking, self-medicating, self-punishing and rebellious. Yes, there is a part that wants to be healthy and well, but until the situation becomes dire, it is often no contest."
Meditation and quitting smoking: how nicotine hijacks your brain
"Here’s a hot news flash to smokers: Cigarettes are bad for you. They can make holes in your lungs, mouth, throat and (more recently) your wallet. You are likely to have more frequent illness and lost income. The smoke you exhale will also impact people around you, some of whom you love. You will die younger than you would if you did not smoke and have a compromised quality of life while you are here.
Are you motivated to quit? Generally the answer is yes with a qualifier or two. In addiction treatment, patients generally say, “Not right now. Let me get off one drug at a time.” It is a reasonable answer, but even well into recovery, many smokers are still not ready. Why would that be - given the overwhelming evidence in favor of stopping and the fact that these particular addicts successfully quit alcohol, heroin and/or cocaine?
Practicing mindfulness to help you break the habit of smoking
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Additional Online Resources:
Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts Medical School (mindfulness-based stress reduction); www.umassmed.edu/cfm
Insight Meditation Society, Barre, MAss. (Retreat Centers, schedules); www.dharma.org
Institute for meditation and Psychotherapy; www.meditationandpsychotherapy.org
Meditation Talks: www.dharmaseed.org
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy: www.mbct.com
Mindfulness-based Relapse Prevention: www.depts.washington.edu/abrc/meditation.htm
Mindsight Institute (interpersonal neurobiology): www.mindsightinstitute.com
Spirtual Self Schema Therapy: www.3-s.us
At the Bournewood-Caulfield Partial Hospitalization Program, we have integrated mindfulness practice into dual diagnosis treatment as one of "four pillars" along with recovery, psychotherapy and medicine. Larry Peltz, MD, the program's attending psychiatrist and author of "The Mindful Path to Addiction Recovery," says mindfulness practices bring an immediacy to treatment that encourages patients to live one moment at a time--more in the body than in the head--and learn to respond to experience instead of simply reacting. Read more in this month's Bournewood Blog
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